Charities, campaigning and the World Cup

We work with a number of organisations who support the LGBTQ+ community here in the South West.  I also follow some national charities in this arena.  Some of these organisations are promoting a ban on the World Cup (due to homosexuality still being illegal in Quatar).  Some are campaigning and opening conversations; and some are very quiet.   

Campaigning as a charity is complex.  How best do you raise awareness and start difficult conversations without attracting ‘hate’ responses or turning people off further from your cause.  

For organisations whose main function is campaigning some of these decisions are easier.  But if your main function is support of a minority group, when do you make a decision to speak out?  When is it necessary and at what points does it become detrimental to those you support?  When does not speaking out have a worse impact than doing so? 

I think there has to be input from Trustees/Directors, staff, and volunteers into these decisions – so that all in the organisation are clear about their response and why its being made.  I also believe clients should be given a voice in these discussions.  Maybe having these conversations generally so that all involved already have guidance and have had chance to have some input would be valuable – then when instances such as the World Cup come up, there is already a clear line to take. 

What works in your experience?  When have you got it right… or wrong?     

Personally I will be watching the World Cup, and I will also be opening conversations about human rights and the treatment of the LGBTQ+ community (in Qatar and elsewhere).  For me, the World Cup offers an ‘opening’ for discussing something that can be difficult to raise.  But I understand that for some, having the World Cup sited in Quatar is too much and that not engaging with it at all is the best response for them.